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EXCLUSIVE: Zoya Akhtar working to document Salim-Javed’s life for a digital platform
And a digital platform is set to premiere a tale on the most iconic writer duo of Bollywood, Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar. It will be helmed by Gully Boy director, Zoya Akhtar. Details revealed.
Zoya Akhtar is among the most respected directors of Bollywood in today’s time with films like Luck By Chance, Zindagi Na Milegi Doobara, Dil Dhadakne Do and Gully Boy under her kitty. Her last directorial won acclaim across the globe for a realistic yet gripping portrayal of street rappers in Mumbai, with Ranveer Singh, Siddhant Chaturvedi and Alia Bhatt living their characters with conviction. Ever since then, there has been a chatter about what Zoya’s doing next. There have been talks about a gangster drama being her next directorial.
However, Pinkvilla has exclusively learnt that over the last two years, the director has been silently working towards documenting her father, Javed Akthar and his writing partner, Salim Khan’s life. “Zoya feels that the Salim-Javed combo gave a new lease to writers in Hindi film industry and their achievements deserve to make it to the spectacle. While at first, she was planning to spin a biopic for theatres on their life, through the lockdown she felt that the story demands to be showcased on a digital medium,” revealed a source close to the development.
Zoya feels that the Salim-Javed combo gave a new lease to writers in Hindi film industry and their achievements deserve to make it to the spectacle..She has been talking to both Salim Khan and Javed Akthar independently to ensure an objective approach to the story
Source
The source further informs that the Salim-Javed biopic will be more of a docu-drama, highlighting the highs, and lows of the combo from the golden era of Indian cinema. “She has been talking to both Salim Khan and Javed Akthar independently to ensure an objective approach to the story. Multiple meetings have taken place and Zoya is on the verge of closing the material that she wants to bring in her story,” the source added. Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar have some of the most iconic films of Hindi cinema under their kitty and are credited to create the angry young man image of Amitabh Bachchan. Some of their writing stints together include Zanjeer, Sholay, Deewar, Seeta Aur Geeta, Trishul, Don, Shaan and Shakti among others.
However, there is no clarity on if Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar themselves will make an appearance to narrate their stories or will it be enacted by someone else. “In-fact, if the docu-drama gets an overwhelming response with audience asking for more, don’t be surprised if the story is dramatized for a theatrical medium with actors stepping into the shoes of this iconic writer duo. It’s all being kept under wraps at the moment,” the source signed off. After the Salim-Javed saga, Zoya might move onto her much spoken about gangster film. A lot has been spoken about the star-cast, however, one is yet to get a confirmation on the involvement of any actors in the film. We might have a clearer picture by the end of this year on her gangster drama.
Meanwhile, Javed Akhtar is all set to make a comeback as a screenwriter after over 15 years with a jungle based action adventure to be produced by son Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani's banner, Excel Entertainment.
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